BRUSSELS – During the visit to Belgium, President of Montenegro Jakov Milatović met with European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos. After a meeting, Milatović stated that electoral reform and functionality of the Constitutional Court were among the key topics discussed.
Enlargement Commissioner stated on X that she spoke with President Milatović about the need for Montenegro to now prioritise the fundamentals, the essential chapters on democracy.
“The EU accession process isn’t just about ticking boxes, it’s about building democratic institutions which can withstand the demands of life as an EU member state”, Kos stated.
“European integration is not a formality, but a process of substantive reforms. Our goal is for Montenegro to become a country with strong, independent and functional institutions, ready for membership in the European Union. That is why it is essential to fully refocus on fundamental reforms,” President Jakov Milatović stressed.
He noted that the meeting with the European Commissioner comes at a crucial moment for Montenegro, as the country is in the final phase of its European integration process, adding that the talks were lengthy, open and detailed.
Key issues requiring resolution were also raised during the meeting, the statement added.
“We discussed the dysfunction of the Constitutional Court, the need to complete electoral reform without delay, as well as the obligation to ensure that all laws are fully aligned with the EU acquis before adoption. It is also necessary to secure functional parliamentary dialogue and reach a broader social consensus on Montenegro’s European path, based on reforms. European integration must be a genuine reform process, reforms must not remain only on paper, but must be clearly visible in practice. That is the key message of this meeting,” Milatović concluded.
